


Milky-Ways and Plain Potato Chips

by Das_Hazel (mikuridaigo)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Humor, Jeith Exchange 2019, Kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 13:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18447725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikuridaigo/pseuds/Das_Hazel
Summary: It's no secret James and Keith do not get along, not since meeting in middle school, and until now in their second year of university. Even though James has been pining for him, he's accepted he and Keith would never be more than rivals.Until tonight.





	Milky-Ways and Plain Potato Chips

**Author's Note:**

> This is for omgvoltron on twitter for the jeith exchange! I am so sorry this took so long as your pinch hitter but here it is now and I hope you enjoy it <3

At 10 PM, someone knocks on James’ door. It’s a Friday night, meaning most students are out partying in the frat houses or the city. Maybe someone’s been hurt, seeing as these freshmen and sophomores go a little too hard with being away from home for the first time.

“Can I sleep here tonight?” 

It takes James a second to register the question, let alone the person asking the question. Keith Kogane, the punk with a motorcycle in student parking, the guy who he’s caught  _ smoking _ in his own room and wrote him up for, twice, his teenage heartthrob James has been trying to get over since middle school, is here now, asking to stay in his room for the night. 

The resident assistant’s room of all places. 

It is no secret that James and Keith did not get along, not since their days in middle school, to freshman welcome-week where a friendly game between floors turned into an all out paint war, both receiving write-ups before classes even begun. After, just like old times, they tried to avoid each other as much as possible, even though the universe kept putting them in the same classes, under the same advisor, and even on the same internship team for their department. 

“Uh….” is James’ only eloquent response, because he’s trying to discern if Keith’s pulling some prank. Except Keith isn’t like that, he pretty much says what’s on his mind with no filter.

Keith squeezes the pillow in his hand. James notes, too, that his breath smells minty, and that he had his backpack on him “My roommate brought his girlfriend. Can I sleep here or what?”

Right, okay that’s why he’s asking. Though he wonders why Keith doesn’t go to his other friends, and as feral as his attitude is, James has seen Keith laugh with other people. 

“Do you want me to make a write-up?” James asks. Sex in the dorms isn't necessarily forbidden, but stranding your roommate is proper reason for him to intervene. 

Keith shakes his head and huffs. “Dude, do you really wanna interrupt them?”

James sighs. It is in the job description to do so, though as far as he can tell, no RA has ever written someone up for consensual sex, even if they were loud. There’s procedure to deal with it, but no one ever wants to be  _ that  _ RA, ruining all the fun.

“That answers that, so what can I just stay here? I can take the couch.”

The perks of being an RA was a single occupancy room, with the same floor space as those who did have to share. James had his bed lifted, so that his desk and computer were beneath him. Across was a couch, which was deemed necessary as an RA for students who needed to go in and talk to him. 

“Okay, sure.” James says, stepping to the side to finally let Keith in. 

“Thanks.” 

Keith is already in his pajamas, a simple black shirt and red plaid sweatpants. He sets his pillow on the couch, his backpack to the side, and stretches himself out. With his arms raised, James can see the bit of his skin, and the dark hair going down his pants. He quickly turns his head away, because  _ nope _ he already when through his awkward high school phase with lusting over his rival. He got over that years ago. 

(No he hasn’t)

“I’m still working on homework.” James says, gesturing over to his desk. “Do you mind if I have my desk light on?”

Keith shakes his head. “I actually have a reading to do.” 

Okay, that settled it. James can keep his ceiling lights on so they can both work. Awesome.

Keith pulls out their textbook from Holt's class, which is exactly what James is working on too. “Have you finished chapter 23?”

“Almost. Just wanted to go back and highlight some things.”

It isn’t that Holt's class was hard, but for a basic astronomy course, there was a lot of reading in between the lines of his chosen chapters. Almost everyone failed the first exam, and even though James picked up on what Holt tested them on, it would help if he had someone else go over it with him. Only, most people took the basic course because they thought it was about memorizing planets, not actual physics or theoretical problems. And the only person who took it as seriously as him was… well Keith. 

“Do you want to go over some notes when you’re done?” James asks, and immediately back tracks when Keith gives him a quizzical expression. “I mean! Only if you’re not tired after.”

“I don’t mind.” Keith quickly says, even if it’s his usual monotone voice. “Give me thirty minutes to finish reading?”

**“** Yeah… yeah okay.” Nodding, Keith turns his attention to his book, and James swivels in his chair to go to his desk. 

It’s probably the quietest thirty minutes James has ever experienced with Keith. In class, at their internship, even at the school’s cafe, they would have broken out into some kind of argument. The silence distracts him so much, that when Keith asks, “Alright, ready?” James realizes he’s just spent the entire time thinking of Keith. 

His voice cracks embarrassingly, earning a smirk from Keith. “Uh, no sorry I was--”

“That’s fine.” Keith says. “I’m going to get something from the convenient store, want anything?” 

“By yourself?” James asks, watching Keith throw on a light jacket and slip in his flip flops. 

“It’s just across the street. Plus there’s still people out.”

That may be true, but looking out his window James can see the drunk frat guys and rowdy men from the bar, right next to the store Keith was going to. 

“I’ll go with you.” He says, closing his book. 

“You sure? Thought you needed to study.”

“I don’t feel right letting you go alone.” He says, trying to convince himself that it’s his duty as RA to escort and protect any of the students in his dorm. 

Keith shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He doesn’t give James much time as he makes his way out the door, and so James quickly grabs a jacket and a pair of house slippers as he follows him out. 

* * *

He needs a thicker jacket.

It’s just a five minute walk but the air bites at James’ exposed face and at his ankles. Keith doesn’t look any better, as he visibly shivers with every step. They finally make it into the store, where the cashier glances up from his magazine just to see who came in, and then returned to reading. 

Keith heads for the snack aisle with James just following behind. Laughter just outside the store catches his attention, watching guys coming from fraternity row stumble around and shoving each other. He thinks he recognizes one of them from his class, which only leaves a bad taste in his mouth since the guy was making obscene gestures to a group of girls walking across the street. He shudders, and turns back to Keith.

Keith has an armful of snacks, which just reminds James how much Keith eats during class. He’s always snacking on something, a piece of fruit during lectures, or chips while at his desk. Sometimes a lollipop that he constantly makes a loud popping noise, and if he’s caught James staring at his lips, that’s because he’s too damn loud with it. 

Keith goes up to the cashier, paying for his purchase. Once everything is in the plastic bag, Keith tosses James a candy bar, milky way, and just says. “You could use a snack too.”

It stuns James for a moment, as he wants to know  _ how _ Keith knows that’s his favorite candy. He isn’t one who ate too many sweets, and has cut down significantly since entering university. 

“H-how…”

“You hate chocolate and peanut butter right? Trade them for milky-ways when you can.”

That jogs a memory from almost eight years ago, during their middle school candy exchange on Halloween. James was asking a classmate to trade his recess for their milky-ways. He didn’t talk to Keith then, so the fact he still remembered that…

Whatever that skip in his heartbeat is, James tries to push it way. He seriously is not a teenager anymore, and that weird crush-on-your-rival romance trope is completely dead. 

“Oh, this too.” Keith says, holding up a bag of plain chips while he stuffed his face with a twinkie. 

Okay, yeah, he still likes him. 

They ran back into their dorm room, James’ feet only slightly damped from a puddle he managed to step in, and they made their way back to James’ room. When they reached their floor, loud moans coming from Keith’s room echoed in the hallway. 

Keith rolled his eyes. “I bet she’s faking it.”

James isn’t a stranger to porn, so he’ll readily admit she sounded fake-enthusiastic, or Lance is that good. “Are you sure you don’t want me to say anything? Technically, he is breaking rules since we can hear him in the hallway.”

“I’d say yes but then he’ll just get mad I told on him.”

Write ups didn’t mean anything in the long run, especially since going into their junior year they’re kicked off campus to find their own apartments. And being interrupted by an RA is boner-killer.

Still, it didn’t sit right that Keith has been sexiled, leaving him to sleep on a couch instead of a room he’s paying for. 

They get to James’ room, opening the door and letting Keith in first. “Hold this open.” He tells him.

Keith keeps his foot in the door. “What are you--”

James quickly runs to Keith’s room, bangs loudly, “Can we join?!” And then sprints back with a giant grin on his face. 

Keith’s expression is a mixture of shock and bursting into laughter. He gets James inside, and they peek their head out his door. The noises stop and the door opens. Lance sticks his head out, his face red and sweaty, as he looks around to see who banged on his door. James and Keith quickly hide back in his room, and taking a quick look at each other, break into laughter. 

“ _ Holy shit _ .” Keith says, holding his stomach. “I didn’t think  _ you’d  _ do that!” 

James has his hand covering his mouth, trying to hide his laugh. “I can’t take credit. Ryan did that our freshman year, back when I was sexiled too.”

“Did you get your room back?”

“Hell no, but it was still funny.”

He doubts Lance and his date would leave after that too, but the interruption is great revenge. 

They’re coming down from their high of laughing, when James realizes how close they are. Leaning on his door, their shoulders pressed on the wood, and Keith’s face just inches from his. He sees the bags under his eyes, tired from studying all week, and with midterms coming up he can only guess Keith has been up late cramming too. 

“You don’t have to do that.” Keith says.

“Do what?”

“Cover your mouth when you laugh.” Keith leans closer. “I like your laugh.”

Oh, that habit of his when he was teased as ‘brace-face’ in elementary school, long before meeting Keith, but enough teasing to have him instinctively cover his mouth when laughing. 

“Y-you do?”

Keith nods, reaching out to touch James’ cheek with the joints of his fingers. Even coming from the frigid weather, Keith’s hands are warm. 

“Yeah, and when you pout too. Or get angry with me. I like all of you.”

What a weird confession, but one that warms James’ entire being. “Well, how about not making me mad so much?”

Keith shrugs with a smile. “It’s fun watching you get riled up.” 

The door starts to get uncomfortable, so they move over to James’ couch. “Seriously? You purposely challenge me with our projects just to get a reaction?”

“Yeah, and well, no.” Keith confesses. His hands never leave James’ body, this time going from his cheek to his hands. “You challenge me, and I need that. If you said yes to everything I did, I think our rocket would never have taken off.”

Their biggest project in the previous semester, the project that would determine if they were going to intern under Shirogane or not. For the weeks leading up to the launch, Keith and James bickered back and forth on calculations, wing designs, and type of engine fuel. James wanted to pull his hair, and he was sure it’d break out into a fist fight between the two of them. In the end their project was a success, and Shirogane happily accepted them. 

“You could have just, you know, ask me to look over your work?” 

“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?”

James can’t help but roll his eyes. That’s just so Keith, needing to add fuel to the fire rather than talk through things calmly. 

It’s why James is still in love with him, he’s attracted to his fire. 

“James?”

“Hm?” 

“Can I kiss you?”

There’s a moment’s hesitation, only because James’ brain is trying to process the question. A question he honestly never expected to hear from Keith. 

When Keith pulls his hand away, James comes back to reality, because if he doesn’t act fast he’ll lose this moment. “Yes!” He says too quickly. “Yes, please.”

Keith sighs with a chuckle, probably relieved that James answered him. He shifts on the couch James feeling the dip as Keith scoots closer to him. Keith’s hand returns to James’ cheek, caressing him until James relaxes to his touch--and he does. James closes his eyes, leaning into Keith’s hand, and waits for him to make the next move. 

Another shift on the couch a hot breath on his. James parts his lips slightly, an invitation. 

Eight years of knowing Keith, through their awkward teen years, to competing for college and their internships, through pining for a guy he never thought he had a chance with, has finally led to this. 

Keith tastes like cinnamon and flames, so James pulls him in for more. 

He wraps his arms around Keith’s neck, pulling their bodies as close as possible. Keith’s hands wander down to his hips, and with a tug, pulls James into his lap. James happily accepts his new place, opening his mouth more and lets Keith in. 

His tongue--oh god they’ll have to do more with that later, because Keith’s tongue is strong, and exploring him to get a better taste of James. He can’t help but moan, allowing Keith to do as he pleased. He lets out a pleased sigh as Keith’s hands go under his shirt to feel him. He’s staying just at his hips, rubbing circles with this thumb, and it’s relaxing for James. 

When they pull apart to take a breather, Keith moves his lips to James’ neck, leaving light kisses all the way to his collarbone, but never sucking any harder. He wants Keith to do it, suck and bite and mark him up, something he’s dreamt about for ages, that is until a stomach growls, loudly. 

They both freeze, Keith’s mouth still on James’ skin, as Keith’s stomach growls again. He lets his head fall onto James’ shoulder, and murmurs an apology. 

James can’t help but laugh, which only embarrassed Keith more. He takes Keith’s face into his hands, gently urging him to look up at him. “Hey, wanna snack first and then make out?”

“...Yes please.” Keith grumbles. 

James hops off his lap and grabs the snack bag, and they decide to eat while looking over their notes. 

It’s still a little distracting, having Keith so close to him as he explains the chapter. Chip crumbs fall on their notes, chocolate smudges on James’ lips, which Keith can’t help but kiss and lick off. They get little studying done because James really, really, likes kissing Keith.

Keith agrees, having James under him, or on top of him as they make out on the couch, and then move over to his bed. 

It’s almost midnight when they’re washed over with a wave of fatigue. Their lips are swollen, faces flushed, and hands entangled. “We’re gonna talk about this, right?” James can’t help but ask. 

Keith nods, kissing his forehead. “Yeah, we are. Can I sleep here tonight?”

James laughs. “I already said you could.”

“I mean,  _ here _ ,” Keith emphasizes, patting the bed.

This time it’s James’ turn to kiss him. “Yeah, of course.”

It feels right, having Keith in his twin size bed, squished together because of the possibility of falling off the bed. 

“But seriously, I’m read to write up a report on your roommate.”

“I think we should be  _ thanking _ him at this point.”

James raises an eyebrow. “Do you really want to?”

“...nah.” 

They fall asleep soon after, only for James to be awakened by the fire alarm that some asshat pulled. Stupid freshmen. 

Keith only groans, hugging James from behind and burying his face in his shoulder. He just laughs, and coaxes Keith to get out of bed with more kisses. 


End file.
